Control apparatus.



C. C. WHITTAKER.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man JUNE s. 1915.

1,287,806, Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

2 2 3 5 -1 -----'1 r 1222". 83 l 5 C =J L=l [=1 /3 ml F// In! V'Z I fig 4 WITNESISES: INVENTOR ATTC R N EY UNITED STATES CHARLES C. WHIT'IAKER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF VVILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- VAN IA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application filed June 6, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES (J. Warr- TAKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to control apparatus and particularly to liquid rheostats.

An object of my invention is to provide means for securing a liquid rheostat of large initial current-carrying capacity that will also have a large resistance range and occupy relatively small space.

A further object of my invention is to decrease the height of rheostats of the type under consideration.

Heretofore, it has been found necessary to use relatively long initial contact tips in order to secure the proper resistance between electrodes, which is a function ,of the distance between the contact points and the proper current-carrying capacity, which is a function of the immersed area of the contact tip.

My invention provides a small angular member that may be secured to the bottom of an electrode and be bent in a manner to provide a large initial contact area and maintain a considerable distance between electrodes and, at the same time, to decrease the height of the electrode which would otherwise be necessary to secure this additional area.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a liquid rheostat embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view ,of the rheostat shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a top-plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

The rheostat shown in the drawing comprises a casing 1 in which a plurality of electrodes 2 are positioned in side-by-side relation. Each of the electrodes 2 has an improved contact tip 3 mounted thereon by means of a plurality of rivets i. The main portion of the electrode 2 is of rectangular shape, although not necessarily so, and the tip 3 has the lower portion thereof bent at substantially right angles to the electrode 2 and secured to the electrode in backto-back relation therewith.

It will be seen that, so long as the level Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918. Serial No. 101,962.

of the electrolyte is below the bottom of the electrodes 2, the immersed surface of initial contact tips 3 will be greatly increased by the bent portions of the tips. The tips of the electrodes may be maintained of small width by providing the added area of the bent portion and, therefore, the distance between the adjacent contact tips may be kept approximately the same and a larger initial current-carrying capacity provided. The height of the electrode necessary to give the same contact tip area will be materially decreased and the volume of electrolyte required to operate the rheostat will be very much lessened.

It is to be understood that, although the invention I have herein described is capable of various modifications, only such restrictions shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with an electrode, of a plurality of angle members secured to the bottom of said electrode, and a second electrode having angle members associated with the angle members of the first electrode.

In a liquid rheostat, the combination with an electrode, and angle members secured to the bottom of the electrode, of a second electrode having angle members associated with the angle members of the first electrode, the horizontal portions of the angle members being located in the same plane.

3. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with an electrode, of a T-shaped composite tip secured to the bottom of said electrode, and a second electrode having a T-shaped tip associated with the T-shaped tip of the first electrode.

4. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with an electrode, 01"" a plurality of angle members secured to the bottom of said elec trode in back-to-back relation, and a second electrode having angle members associated with the angle members of the first electrode.

5. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a stationary rectangular electrode, of an independent tip secured to the bottom of said electrode, and a second stationary electrode having an independent tip associated with the tip of the first electrode.

6. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a rectangular electrode, and a plurality of right-angle tips secured to said electrode inback-to-back relation, of a second rectangular electrode associated with the first electrode, and right-angle tips secured to the second electrode, the horizontal portions or" the tips being located in the same plane.-

7. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a plurality of cooperating electrodes, of a plurality of bent tips severally secured thereto in staggered relation.

8. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a plurality of cooperating electrodes, of a plurality of angle members severally secured to the bottom edges of said electrodes in staggered relation.

9. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a plurality of cooperating electrodes,

Copies of this patent may be obtained (or five cents each, by addressing the of a plurality of L-shaped tips respectively secured to the bottom edges of the outer electrodes, 7 and a T-shaped composite tip secured to the bottom edge of an intermediate electrode. 7

' 10. In a liquid'rheostat, the combination with a plurality of cooperating; electrodes,

of a plurality of L-shaped tips respectively secured to the bottom edges of the outer eleCtrOdeS, and a T-shaped composite tip secured to the bottom edge of an intermediate electrode, said tips being locatedin staggered relation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of May, 1916.

CHARLES C. \VHITTAKER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

